KINGSTON, Ont -- Mathieu Pompei of Laval, Que., scored once and added three helpers as McGill officially opened their 141st season of hockey with a 5-1 road victory over Royal Military College at Constantine Arena, Friday.

The game was delayed 22 minutes when the officials arrived late and RMC took advantage of an uncharacteristically lethargic McGill start when rookie Bruce Hornbrook of Bathurst, N.B., scored just 50 seconds after the opening puck drop. But the Redmen roared back with five unanswered goals to improve their lifetime record to 66-8-4 overall against the Paladins.

McGill team captain Patrick Delisle-Houde ignited the comeback at 19:01 of the opening frame to send the teams into the locker-room knotted at 1-1. Then Pompei perked up and took over. The fifth-year social work senior set-up Christophe Lalonde at 2:11 of the second period and scored at 19:12 of the middle stanza. In the final period, Pompei fed Jerome Verrier on a power-play at 3:19, then assisted on Daniel Milne's marker at 8:42.

"The guys were excited to finally get things started after a hard preseason schedule," said Pompei, a 5-foot-7, 166-pound centre who is serving as an alternate captain this year. "We were surprised by their quick first goal but kept our composure throughout the game and continued to elevate our play."

The OUA season opener for both clubs, the two teams combined for 74 minutes in penalties, including 42 for the Paladins. McGill was 1-for-6 on the power-play while RMC went 0-for-5.

McGill had a 41-20 edge in shots as rookie netminder Louis-Philip Guindon made 19 saves to collect his first regular-season victory in his official debut. RMC's Matthew Murphy of Rothesay, N.B., posted 36 saves in a losing cause.

McGill (1-0), which made the three-hour trek home after the game, will host the Ridgebacks from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology on Saturday night at McConnell Arena. UOIT (1-0), which is based in Oshawa, blanked the Ottawa Gee-Gees 3-0 in the nation's capital in their opener on Friday.

REDMEN RAP: Among the players not dressed for the Redmen were brothers Étienne and Jasmin Boutet, who lost their father Sylvain Boutet to an apparent heart-attack on Oct. 1. A funeral service is scheduled for Sunday in Quebec City and the Redmen will be bussing to the provincial capital on Sunday morning to attend.

LINK TO COMPLETE BOXCORE

SCORING SUMMARY
McGill 5 at RMC 1
(Friday, October 7, 2016 - Constantine Arena)

GOALS BY PERIOD:
McGill 1-2-2 -- 5
RMC 1-0-0 -- 1

1st Period-
1, RMC, Bruce Hornbrook 1 (Savery, Boudreau), 0:50.
2, McGill, Patrick Delisle-Houde 1 (Verrier, Curcuruto), 19:01.

Penalties-Scott Rmc (checking to the head, 10-minute misconduct), 2:34; Chenevert Mcg (slashing), 19:31.

2nd Period-
3, McGill, Christophe Lalonde 1 (Pompei, Curcuruto), 2:11.
4, McGill, Mathieu Pompei 1 (Curcuruto), 19:12.

Penalties-Keenan Rmc (slashing), 3:04; Tremblay Mcg (roughing after the whistle), 9:10; Verrier Mcg (roughing after the whistle), 9:10; Keenan Rmc (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 9:10; Mathew Rmc (roughing after the whistle), 9:10; Chenevert Mcg (roughing after the whistle, roughing after the whistle), 11:48; Milne Mcg (roughing after the whistle), 11:48; Huber Rmc (roughing after the whistle), 11:48; Lavallee Rmc (roughing after the whistle, 10-minute misconduct), 11:48; Curcuruto Mcg (cross checking), 13:59.

3rd Period-
5, McGill, Jerome Verrier 1 (Pompei, Lalonde), 3:19 (PP).
6, McGill, Daniel Milne 1 (Pompei), 8:42.

Penalties-Bois Mcg (roughing after the whistle), 1:58; Colton Rmc (roughing after the whistle), 1:58; Keenan Rmc (boarding), 1:58; Giberson Rmc (tripping), 2:19; served by Keenan Rmc (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 5:15; Livingston Rmc (hooking), 6:04; Hodhod Mcg (checking from behind, 10-minute misconduct), 9:35; Lambert-Lemay Mcg (cross checking), 9:35; Halbert Mcg (holding), 13:12.

Shots on Goal-
McGill 16-11-14 -- 41.
RMC 7-6-7 -- 20.

Power Play Opportunities-
McGill 1 / 6;
RMC 0 / 5.

Goalies-
McGill, Louis-Philip Guindon (W, 1-0-0; 20 shots-19 saves; 60:00).
RMC, Matthew Murphy (L, 1-1-0, 41 shots-36 saves; 60:00).

Attendance: 212
Start: 7:22 PM
End: 9:51 PM
Length: 2:29

Referees-Duane Parliament & (unavailable)
Linesmen- .

THREE STARS:
1. MCG - 19 Mathieu Pompei
2. MCG - 3 Gianluca Curcuruto
3. RMC - 27 Bruce Hornbrook

SOURCE:
 
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
 
SEE COMPLETE McGILL VARSITY SCHEDULE ONLINE AT:
www.mcgillathletics.ca/calendar.aspx